§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many West Indians have arrived in this country seeking employment during the last 12 months; how many have been placed in employment; and how many have returned to the West Indies.
§ Mr. Rees-WilliamsI can give my hon. Friend approximate figures only. West Indians coming to the United Kingdom to seek employment do so privately and at their own expense. It is only when a large contingent has arrived that my attention has been drawn to them. Large parties arrived in December, 1947 (about 150), June, 1948 (about 500) and October, 1948 (about 180), making a total of 830. Over half of these immigrants had friends in the United Kingdom and became scattered immediately on arrival. Any of these men who registered at employment exchanges will have been dealt with in the normal way and no statistical information about them is available. Of those arriving in June and October, 300 had nowhere to go: 250 were placed in employment within three weeks of arrival. The remaining 50 have become merged in the general population and I have no information about them. West Indians who wish to return home make12W their own arrangements through the shipping companies and I have no information as to how many have returned to the West Indies.